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Does your cheerleader need a confidence boost?

Does your cheerleader need a confidence boost?

Ever hear the phrase, “confidence is key“? It’s oh so true..confidence is that secret ingredient that will help your cheerleader advance their skills, bust out of that mental block, and truly SHINE both on and off the mat! If you’re sensing some frustration or stuck in a mental block with your athlete, we’ve got the answers for you!

In this blog, I’m personally sharing my top 3 tips to help your cheerleader stay motivated and rock that confidence 24/7!! 

TIP #1: STAY MOTIVATED, HERE’S HOW

The trick to staying motivated is setting goals and having a plan. Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for the MOTIVATIONAL PLANK HOLD! (PS: this is one of my personal fav’ go-to CHEERFIT tips!)

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This is how it works:

  1. Write down your top 3 summer goals
  2. Hold a plank (30-60 seconds)
  3. While in the plank, repeat your goals out loud and visualize each new skill in your head (yes all while in a plank)

Parents, this is a great one for you to do with your athletes and lead by example : )

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TIP #2: MOUNTAIN CLIMBER CHALLENGE BUSTER

Yes, say that 10 times fast : ) Ok, so this now is what you want to do right after the motivational plank challenge. First, we want to set goals, then we want to BUST THROUGH any negative thoughts so our goals can happen!

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Here is how:

  1. Mountain Climber time (30-60 seconds)
  2. While climbing those mountains you want to bust through any negative thoughts that creep in
  3. Tell yourself, “I’ve got this!” “There is nothing that can hold me back!” “I am CHEERFIT STRONG!!

Parents again, time to show your cheerleader that negative thoughts mean NOTHING. We’d recommend doing this with them!

TIP #3: BE CHEERFIT STRONG

 

Ok, so this is the ULTIMATE TIP! Listen up..I

In order to build that confidence, you have to be strong both mentally and physically! And that is where CHEERFIT comes in! We are a fitness community for cheerleaders, here to support your cheerleader stay motivated, overcome challenges and be supported every step of the way!

BECOME A CHEERFIT AMBASSADOR and get ready to for an instant burst of motivation, confidence, and fun!

DANIELLE DONOVAN

is the go-to fitness expert for the cheerleading industry and founder of CHEERFIT (www.cheerfittraining.com). Danielle holds national fitness certifications through the American Council on Exercise and specializes in sports conditioning, youth fitness, and group fitness as it pertains specifically to cheerleaders. Danielle has been featured on NBC,Inside Cheerleading Magazine, FITNESS Magazine, Livestrong, Yahoo Beauty, NY Post, American Cheerleader Magazine and more. Through fitness, Danielle focuses on helping cheerleaders build the confidence, strength, and flexibility they need to reach their goals and prevent injury.

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Top 5 Ideas to Pump Up Your Team for Summit

Top 5 Ideas to Pump Up Your Team for Summit

The team earned that coveted bid and everyone is jumping up and down for joy! The excitement is overwhelming… coaches start thinking about new additions to the routine, athletes are dreaming of both Mickey as well as winning that ring and parents want to know how they can help.

Answer…..team gifts and spirit!

Going to Disney World for Summit is an EXPERIENCE and the athletes are sure to make memories that will last a lifetime. Teams will be decked out in lots of Summit gear showing off their gym spirit and their accomplishment of making it to the Summit.

Here are the top 5 ideas for great ways to pump up the team and get them ready.

1. SPIRIT PARTIES

Think of a cute idea and play off the theme. We’ve done root beer floats after practice, “We’re Rootin’ for You. Absolutely inexpensive and made the point that we support them 100% and know how hard they are working.

2. PICK ME UPS

We all know the pressure gets intense as the Summit practices continue. Consider giving out small pick me ups to lift the athlete’s spirits after those hard, grueling practices. Nothing big or expensive but it let’s them know everyone is in this together. We love the #CHEERFITSTRONG bands as a reminder to our athletes that they are confident, strong, and can accomplish anything they set their mind to! 

3.T-SHIRTS & TANK TOPS

 Florida is HOT! Team tanks are always a hit and a great easy way to commemorate the experience as well as make your team stand out. Lots of cute ideas on Pinterest and whether you focus on Summit or sporting your team name, it definitely bonds your athletes.

4. TRAVEL ITEMS

Teams come from all over including internationally to compete at the Summit so think about toothbrush holders, baggage tags, toiletry bags, uniform bags, etc. These gifts will not only promote spirit but come in very useful.

5. PARK NECESSITIES

The athletes are bound to want to join in on the park fun so you might want to consider giving athletes items that they will NEED during park days. Items like fanny packs, drawstring bags, handheld fans, visors and sunglasses work great as spirit gifts.

The most important thing is to HAVE FUN, cherish the moments and make lots of memories!

SALLY PAZ

Sally Paz is proud mom of Ava. While her “real” job is in educational administration, she spends a huge amount of her time doing the crazy cheer mom thing. Since 2015 when Ava began All-Star Cheer, she has been team mom for two years and a member of the Executive Board of the APEX Booster Club for one year. This year Ava will be competing at Summit in the Senior Coed 4.2 and the International Junior 3.

Loving these exercises and that CHEERFIT STRONG feeling? Sign up for the newsletter and we’ll send you weekly workouts, motivation – woot woot! 

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The Top 5 Things to Know for Tryouts

The Top 5 Things to Know for Tryouts

MY TOP 5 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRYOUT

With the craziness of competition season, it is easy to find yourself skimping on your daily workouts…

THAT ENDS NOW!

1. KEEP YOUR BODY IN TIP TOP SHAPE

As an athlete it is very important to keep your body in tip top shape all through out the year. So pump up the jams and get to work on your favorite workout. Some of my personal picks are the CHEERFIT Bootcamp DVD and the IG LIVE Tuesday Workout Parties on Instagram.

Anything that works for you personally to get you in the frame of mind to push a little harder is what you need!

2. TREAT YOUR BODY RIGHT!

Nutrition plays a big part in helping you feel energized. Fuel your body with fruits and veggies and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! All of the extra workouts and practices take a toll on your body and in addition to exercising and eating right you should also make sure you get enough sleep.

Tryouts can be very stressful and your body needs its rest in order to perform your best!

3. CONFIDENCE IS KEY

Confidence plays a huge part in your success as a cheerleader. For me, this has been the biggest obstacle to overcome. I have been battling a mental block on and off for a little over a year now. I just couldn’t understand why my mind wasn’t allowing me to throw skills I had for years and was really hard on myself. I know now that I am often my own biggest enemy and the only person holding me back. Once I realized this I found it so much easier to relax and just do my thing. I am throwing my skills again, but I think some days will always be harder than others.

For anyone struggling through a mental block I just want to let you know that you’ve got this, once you believe in yourself the

SKY IS THE LIMIT!

4. ALWAYS GO THE EXTRA MILE

Show your coaches that you are putting in FULL EFFORT. If you are struggling with a specific skill this is especially important. It is important to regularly attend tumble class, but with tryouts approaching it’s never a bad idea to go to a few extra tumble classes, set up a few privates, or go to open gym. Most gyms also provide clinics before tryouts, these really help me out! They give you a feel of what your coaches are looking for and usually a run down of how tryout day will go and give you a chance to clean up your skills. I went to all of the clinics my gym offered last year and found that it helped ease my nerves before the big day.

When your coaches see that you are trying your very hardest to nail your skills they will be MORE willing to HELP YOU!

5. TRUST YOUR COACHES

Your coaches know what you are capable of. Trust them, even if you may not be placed on the team of your dreams. Our coaches always have our best interest at heart! There are a lot of different factors that go into making a successful team, not just tumbling and stunting skills. A coaches job is to give their team the best chance they can have at winning throughout the season and they will put you in a team that you WILL EXCEL ON!

Belle Fabian

I am sixteen years old and live in Charlotte, North Carolina. I am going on my seventh year as a competitive cheerleader and cheer at Cheer Extreme Charlotte.

Loving these exercises and that CHEERFIT STRONG feeling? Sign up for the newsletter and we’ll send you weekly workouts, motivation – woot woot! 

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How My Daughter Inspired Me to Get #CHEERFITSTRONG

How My Daughter Inspired Me to Get #CHEERFITSTRONG

Being motivated, having confidence within yourself and having someone else have confidence in you,
having the support and encouragement to try is what being #CHEERFITSTRONG is about.

“Hey Mom, Let’s work out!”

I see this in my daughter, Savannah, who has been an ambassador since July 2016. When she came
up to me one day and said “hey mom, let’s work out,” I admit I was a bit skeptical. Okay, I take that back,
I was rather hesitant. I am not in the best shape, would rather do a million things other than get my
“fitness” on, but I gave in. We started on out with stretching and watching the CHEERFIT Training DVD,
we did some walking everynight when it was nice out (we live in NY…it gets cold fast). We put on some
workout music and do our workout routine. Savannah is 10 and she is keeping a log of my progress
now.

When you have someone else to help you along the way, it really makes this thing called a workout a lot
more fun. Trust me, as you get older it’s a lot harder than it seems to get motivated and find the energy
to put in the work. Cheerleaders certainly do know how to pump you up and encourage you to keep
going and push yourself. Plus it doesn’t hurt if that very cheerleader happens to be your daughter.

So get out there Cheer Moms! Join the CHEERFIT Movement with your cheerleader and discover that you can also be…

#CHEERFITSTRONG!

Tara Hulett

A mom of three.  My two daughters have been cheering since they were each two years old.  I’ve been a “Cheer Mom” for eleven years and going strong.

Loving these exercises and that CHEERFIT STRONG feeling? Sign up for the newsletter and we’ll send you weekly workouts, motivation – woot woot! 

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Insider Tips & Secrets for Stretching

Insider Tips & Secrets for Stretching

Have you ever heard of a cheerleader being TOO flexible? Didn’t think so! Flexibility is a key component in this sport, and it is certainly not just a term we use for our flyers! All cheerleaders need the flexibility to be well-rounded athletes, and there are many exercises and stretches you can do to gain flexibility in all areas.

As a coach and cheer mom, I put together some of my favorite tips for you:

This is CHEERFIT Ambassador, Gabrielle. The photo on the left was Gabrielle’s toe touch in January. After committing to resistance stretching and jump exercises for just 8 weeks, she was able to increase her jump flexibility to the photo taken on the right in March.

TIP #1: STRENGTHEN YOUR MUSCLES

If you are feeling “stuck” with your flexibility, the first step would be to work on your core and the muscles surrounding the area you’d like to become more flexible. Many times, the core is not strong enough and the muscles are too weak to excel in some areas so stretching needs to come as an addition to a regimented conditioning program. Think of the stretching as the icing on the cake to strong, conditioned muscles. For example, if you have all of your splits but still don’t have high jumps, you may need to work your hip flexors, core, calf muscles, and even shoulders to get your jump height and flexibility to the next level!

TIP #2: STICK WITH IT

The best way to increase flexibility is to stick to a conditioning and stretching schedule and be held accountable for yourself. The exercises you do at practice are probably not enough to see a drastic difference, and so I recommend you take extra classes that your gym may offer or work out at home for optimal results.

IDEAS:

  • I have made a weekly stretch calendar for my flyers in the past, and a parent needs to sign it each night.
  • If you take a “before” photo of yourself, you’ll be more motivated to reach your goal and super proud when you compare your “after” photo weeks later!

Be patient and stay focused and remember you will not see results overnight. All well trained athletes have a plan that they stick to, and a positive mindset and a determined attitude will help get you on track. Do not give up; it is always harder to get started than it is to finish. Keep your head high, and do not let yourself down!

TIP #3: ASK FOR HELP

My last tip is to take help where you can get it!

Here are some ideas:

  • Does your gym offer stretching classes?  
  • Pick up a pair of ankle weights or resistance bands to further enhance the stretching process as well.
  • How about asking mom or dad for help at home with assisted stretching, or find a workout partner!

It is more effective to stretch with assistance because it widens the range of motion and deepens the stretch for more effectiveness!

Use a panel mat for over splits if you already have your splits. Use a wall to walk up and down in bridges, and for balance when stretching or pulling body positions. Use a trampoline for increasing power and flexibility in your jumps.

These two photos show the improvement in flexibility from Alaina from Premier All Stars. The first photo was taken in July when Alaina first entered the world of all star cheer. The second photo was taken in March when Alaina had been committing to two flyer stretch classes a week at her gym.

There are plenty of resources for you to become a more flexible athlete. Don’t forget to put your CHEERFIT membership to use by putting on an archived workout video and having fun while improving your flexibility!

And there you have it! My favorite ideas and tips to help you improve and advance.

JEN PESCI

s currently a coach at Premier All Stars in Morganville, NJ. She has coached cheerleading for 19 years, at all ages and levels, and is well educated and highly experienced in all areas of cheer. Pictured is Jen with her 3 daughters Kaylee, Gianna, and Gabriella, who all cheer for Premier as well.

Loving these exercises and that CHEERFIT STRONG feeling? Sign up for the newsletter and we’ll send you weekly workouts, motivation – woot woot! 

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What to Do if Your Cheerleader Gets Injured Mid Season

What to Do if Your Cheerleader Gets Injured Mid Season

Imagine this: it’s mid-season. The team is doing well. The kids have bonded, they are hitting fullouts. They may even have a few wins in competitions. That Summit or Worlds bid is in sight. Then, one day, it all comes to a screeching halt: INJURY!!!!

Oh no, the “I” word. The one word we try to keep out of our vocabulary when it comes to cheer. Injuries happen whether we like it or not. Some of the most common areas injured in cheer include knees, ankles, and backs. These injuries include traumatic injuries (such as tearing an ACL in tumbling, falling from a stunt / being fallen on, other tumble injuries) and overuse injuries (occur due to repetitive strain from too much time spent tumbling, stunting or just participating in cheer).  Regardless of how the injury occurs, the unfortunate consequences include not being able to practice and compete with the team.

THE “I” WORD

In addition to being a certified cheer mom, I am also a physical therapist.  Part of why my daughter is a CHEERFIT Ambassador is because I know that keeping her strong and conditioned is the best way to prevent injury. I know all the statistics, and exercises to do (if you’d like to read more about this click HERE). I have become that go-to person in the gym for athletes, parents, and coaches when injury occurs. I am typically the voice of reason. However, that all changed when my daughter broke her ankle a year ago. All of a sudden my personal and professional worlds collided and I didn’t know how to handle it.

So before you read any further, please understand that I can relate to each of you. I have been that mom with all the fears and worries.

What are some steps you can take to help your child recover properly from injury?

1. PREVENTION:

The best way to deal with injury is to prevent them. Programs such as CHEERFIT exist to give cheerleaders the strength, endurance, power and flexibility to handle the demands of their sport. Conditioning and proper technique are essential to preventing overuse injuries, in addition to using proper technique, getting appropriate rest and having good nutrition.

2. DOWN NOT OUT

Injury is not a time for a vacation from cheer. Athletes who are injured should still go to practice and participate in being a member of the team. Keeping their mental game in check and staying on top of changes in the routine will help them transition back quicker. Keeping up with exercises not involving the injured body part help maintain or even improve physical conditioning. Have an arm injury? Do exercises to improve jump height. Have a leg injury? Do upper body exercise to keep those arms strong. Maintain flexibility through stretching. Work on abdominal strength.

3. REAHB

The best way to ensure your child comes back quickly and safely is to participate in recommended exercises for rehabilitation. Find a physical therapist, and if you can, one that specializes in kids with orthopedic injuries. A common misconception is that children are simply “mini adults.” Children’s bodies have unique needs and having someone who understands this is crucial to their health and safety.

4. TAKE IT SLOW

This last piece of advice is probably the most difficult to swallow. No athlete wants to take time away from the sport he or she loves. However, this is probably the most important to follow. A healed bone, muscle or ligament does not mean that the body part is necessarily ready to withstand the stresses of cheerleading. Returning quickly, before the injury is truly healed, can lead to re-injury and more time away. Listen to the doctors and physical therapists about criteria for return to sport. Go slow. Gradually work back to those pre-injury skills. Feel strong and confident. Injury is a long road and the destination is worth the journey.

DR. BLAIR GREEN PT, DPT, OCS

is a physical therapist and owner of Catalyst Physical Therapy in Atlanta, GA.  She is also the mom of CHEERFIT Ambassador Leah, who cheers for the Stingray Allstars. When she’s not busy taking care of Leah and her older brother, she keeps herself fit through Pilates, running, and OrangeTheory Fitness. Secret: she has been caught a time or two sneaking in a CHEERFIT Challenge. 

Loving these exercises and that CHEERFIT STRONG feeling? Sign up for the newsletter and we’ll send you weekly workouts, motivation – woot woot! 

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